Mechanical Test Engineer

The Test Facilities Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering (TFOME) contract at the NASA Glenn Research Center, Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility, in Sandusky, Ohio is searching for a Mechanical Test Engineer to provide engineering support and leadership in the planning, design, and technical execution of mechanical engineering and technical tasks for an assigned test or facility project.

1. Provide technical expertise to the users of the ground test facilities in planning test projects to ensure proper match of facility requirements with capabilities, balance of resources, and integration of schedules.
2. Provide overall project management for an assigned test project including developing detailed project plans and project schedules with task lists, durations and assignment of resources. When given the assignment as the lead project engineer, the engineer has the responsibility for the overall execution of the project plan.
3. Support large-and-small scale aerospace ground testing projects, including design of mechanical systems and/or test hardware, oversight of mechanical hardware fabrication, oversight of system and hardware installation, data analysis, instrumentation specifications, and final report generation. Test projects cover a wide variety of test types in many facilities including wind tunnels, air-breathing engine and engine component facilities, acoustic chambers, space propulsion (chemical and electrical) and space environment chambers (including cryogenic applications).
4. Provide technical expertise and guidance in overall planning and execution of test projects in assigned facilities, as well as, planning, coordination and support of maintenance activities. This will include daily coordination with the test team, generation of work instructions to the technical staff (via task orders or other approved means), and general reporting to contractor and customer management.
5. Analyze mechanical system requirements to match system capabilities with test requirements.
6. Coordinate with electrical test engineering and data and instrumentation technicians to prepare facility to meet test and operational requirements.
7. Prepare documentation supporting facility development efforts.
8. Prepare specifications and purchase requisitions for facility hardware.
9. Provide support for training of other engineers and technicians.
10. Develop presentations and present at design reviews, safety reviews, and other technical presentations.
11. Provide periodic status reports on each assigned task to contractor and customer management.
12. Conduct design of experiments and experimental error analyses.
13. Responsible for the calibration of test facilities (i.e. wind tunnel set point calibration and flow quality studies).

1. Requires a minimum of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering (e.g. Mechanical, Aerospace, etc.) or equivalent and two (2) years' applicable experience.
2. Knowledge and understanding of aerospace testing and facility operations, mechanical test systems involving hydraulics, high vacuum, pneumatics, fluid mechanics, fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, and mechanical design.
3. Understanding of electronic test systems involving data acquisition, sensors, and signal conditioning.
4. Direct knowledge of aerospace test facilities including wind tunnels, thermal vacuum facilities, propulsion test stands, and vibration testing is highly desirable.